


helium hearts (we're on fire)

by itjustkindahappened



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Fusion, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Bad Boy Even, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Fluff, Grumpy Isak, Hate to Love, M/M, Pining, but like...... not really, eva as cameron, even as patrick, isak as kat, noora is the lesbian we deserved, this movie was made to be a skam au i'm telling u, vilde as bianca, william as joey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2018-12-09 12:25:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11669079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itjustkindahappened/pseuds/itjustkindahappened
Summary: 10 Things I Hate About You!AU. Eva enrolls at Hartvig Nissens VGS in Oslo and falls headfirst for the popular and pretty Vilde Lien. Vilde, however, is not allowed to date until Isak—her sarcastic, misantropic introvert of a step brother—does.Together with her new group of friends, Eva comes up with a plan to set Isak up with the school's rumor-ridden bad boy Even Bech Næsheim so she can take her crush out.Featuring stargazing, parties, and endless pining.





	1. chapter i

It’s a completely regular morning in the Valtersen/Lien household.

Regular meaning that Vilde’s been up for about ten minutes and has already ranted about three wildly different subjects, almost knocked out the entire container of orange juice on the table, and made Isak rip out at least ten handfuls of hair.

It’s not that Isak doesn’t love his step sister dearly—he does. Deep, deep, deep down, he loves Vilde and would protect her from any evil the world might throw her way.

But the conversation (whine fest) she’s having with her father at this exact moment is one that Isak has heard pretty much every single morning since her dad and Isak’s mom moved in together, and, well. He’s grown quite sick of it.

“But _dad_ ,” she tries, voice so high pitched Isak’s ears ring. “He’s a good guy and I think he really likes me!”

“That is exactly my concern!” Andreas brings his fist determinedly down to the table. “Do you know how many young girls I have met through the years who’ve had to spend thirteen hours in a hospital pushing out a baby they’re not ready to mother because a boy really liked them? Who lose their future and youth and freedom because of good guys? Can you _fathom_ how many ripped vaginas I have seen, Vilde? At the tender age of sixteen. Ripped.”

Vilde’s eyes are blown comically wide and she gives out a mildly panicked “ _dad_!”, burying her face in her hands, and Isak coughs to suffocate a snort of laughter.

Isak finds the whole thing really amusing, really. It’s just Vilde’s bad luck that her father happens to be an obstetrician, and his several years in the profession combined with having a teen daughter of his own has evidently scarred him. It’s evidently left him with a clear picture of just how excruciatingly life ruining a teen pregnancy can be, and a burning passion to protect his own child from ever ending up in that situation.

And it’s left Vilde with the strong conviction that her dad is the sole reason for all her unhappiness.

“This is so bloody unfair,” she whines. “Why is Isak allowed to date but I’m not?”

Andreas says “because Isak is responsible!” at the same time as Isak states “because I’m gay” without even looking up from his phone, and Andreas hums pensively.

“That might play a part, too,” he allows.

Vilde groans like she’s dying, and she swiftly turns to Isak.

“Can’t you just like… Get your shit together and go out with some poor guy for once so I can actually not miss out on every single good aspect of the normal teen experience?”

“Honestly?” Isak rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to play a horrifying rendition of ‘guess the gay’ and risk humiliating myself by asking someone out just so William Magnusson can grope you for one evening. He’s not worthy of your time. Neither are any of the other losers in his clique.”

If Vilde’s face gets any redder Isak thinks her blood vessels might pop.

“ _See_! Isak doesn’t even want to date! He’s hopeless, dad, at this rate I’m not going to date anyone ever in my entire life!”

“Nothing has ever sounded sweeter to my ears,” Andreas promises, and Vilde rises from the table and storms out.

Long story short, Vilde isn’t allowed to date until Isak does.

It’s a plan that Andreas and Isak’s mom, Marianne, agreed on when they first moved in together and the four started living as a family. Andreas has always had strict rules for Vilde while Marianne’s raised Isak with a much looser approach, and this arrangement was a nice enough compromise to both maintain the rules each parent found suitable, while still establishing some kind of equality between the children. Of course, Vilde is highly unhappy with the way things are, because, well. Isak doesn’t want to date.

First off because Hartvig Nissen isn’t exactly a buffet table of endless gay, out guys Isak can pick and choose from. He knows maybe one or two other openly lgbt kids. And secondly… Isak isn’t the biggest fan of people in general, to be honest.

It’s not like he _hates_ other human beings—he has his fair share of friends and acquaintances, and he does love his family even though they drive him to the verge of a nervous breakdown every three seconds.

He’s just very… Skeptical, towards most human beings is all, which _come on_ , is not that incomprehensible. His first instinct is simply not to trust other individuals. Neither is it his second instinct. Or third. Or fourth. It’s not his fault most people just aren’t trustable. That’s completely on them. And what’s the point in being nice to people if he doesn’t trust them?  
None. There is no point.

Vilde is the exact opposite of him. Gullible and bubbly, so naïve it gives Isak chest pains but always indescribably kind and well-meaning at heart. A hopeless romantic, too, which—no thanks. Romance is a fraud, a gross glorification of co-dependency, and Isak wants nothing to do with it.

Also, because Vilde’s latest crush seems to be aimed at none other than the school’s most popular—and repulsive—boy, and if Isak not dating is going to save Vilde from William Magnusson and that toxic group of company he keeps?

Isak is more than happy saving the love thing until he’s at least thirty.

Isak and Andreas are left in the aftermath of Vilde’s dramatic exit just looking at each other. Isak purses his mouth to hold back a smile and Andreas sighs, but it’s obvious he’s also slightly amused.

“Please don’t start dating,” he says.

“Wasn’t planning on it.” 

With that affirmation, Isak leans back in his chair and redirects his attention to his phone.

 

~

 

It’s not Bergen, Eva supposes. It’s flatter. A bit more contemporary. The buildings are taller and the people a bit more urbane and they tend to look at her a little weirdly when she speaks. But it’s Oslo, it’s the capital, and it’s definitely a nice city. Could very well feel like home sooner or later.

As soon as she pulls herself together and finally learns how to make friends, that is.

She’s sitting on her own on the stone steps outside of the school, humbly watching the students passing her as she gets used to the thought of this being the place where she’ll finish the remaining one and a half years of her education. The move was quite drastic; only a week or so after Eva’s parents’ divorce was filed her mom announced that she needed a new start at a new place, and that she’d been offered a job in Oslo. Eva ended up going with her, which seemed like an exciting adventure at the time, but it’s one school day into her new and fresh life and she can already feel the anxiety starting to seep into her chest.

After all, if she lacked skills to make friends in Bergen, what are the chances she’ll magically gain them here?

She’s so lost in thought that when a cheerful voice cuts through her conscience on her left, she’s so startled she nearly jumps up on her feet.

“Hi!”

Eva doesn’t jump, though. Just snaps her head to where the greeting comes from with wide eyes, not entirely sure they’re even talking to her.

She’s met by three pairs of eyes on her—bright greens and deep browns, all filled with a sort of twinkling curiosity. Eva forces her mouth to widen into a smile.

“Hello,” she greets the girls back.

The girl right next to her—a red-lipped blonde with a bob cut and a grey button-down coat—gives her a wide smile in return.

“We couldn’t help but notice you’ve taken our people watching spot.”

Eva frowns and tilts her head slightly.

“Your people watching spot?”

“Yeah!” The blonde nods fiercely, gesturing to the dimpled, hijab-clad girl and the colourfully attired brunette next to her. “I’m Noora, this is Sana and Chris, and we usually sit here to watch people on our breaks—in the least stalker-y way, I swear, it’s just in good fun—And you’ve kind of taken our spot today. But since we’re also generous people, we were wondering if we could join you?”

“Um.” This is without a doubt the oddest approach Eva has ever encountered, but Eva is new and these girls—Sana, Chris and Noora—seem nice enough. “Yeah, sure.”

“Great!” Noora fires off a bright grin and then turns her head to the groups of people crossing the quad while carrying on the conversation. “You’re new here, right?”

“Yeah,” Eva swallows.

“I figured. We have Spanish together,” Noora nods.

Eva hums as an answer and falls into silence for a while. The three other girls keep chatting and commenting on some chosen people passing them, gossiping but without the malice, and Eva is content just listening to them for a bit. It’s a great way to get to know who some of the kids at this school are, actually.

(So. Like. Those magical chances that she’d gain friends here? Seems like they’re a bit higher than Eva originally thought.

Not that she minded at all.)

“And here they come,” Chris suddenly says with a hard twinge to her otherwise soft voice, and it catches Eva’s interest immediately.

Her head snaps up to follow the other girls’ gazes to the entrance and the group of girls now emerging from the doors. Eva immediately understands what kind of girls they are—the charming, pretty and popular sort who’ve got people wrapped around their manicured fingers and smiles brighter than snow covered fields. Eva lets her eyes wander slowly along them, a curly, tall brunette with piercing eyes, a shorter blonde with sharp eyebrows, a dark girl with shiny bangs, and then there on the furthest left—

The most beautiful girl Eva has ever seen. She blinks rapidly.

The world is still moving around her. The wind is blowing faintly, shoes scrape pebbles against concrete, laughter echoes through Eva’s trance like whispers through a tunnel, but for Eva it’s all slowing to a halt where the only things still moving are the uneven rise and fall of her own chest, and the girl’s light steps forward.

Platinum blonde hair tucked in under a knitted, fuchsia scarf and bright eyes widened animatedly as she speaks, the girl crosses the quad with her friends and Eva can’t do anything but stare, completely mesmerized. There’s a kind of preciously lively glow around the girl, radiating childish excitement and a sort of wonder, like she loves to live and life loves her back. Eva wishes she could walk right next to her and hear her speak about all the things she loves for forever. She bets her voice sounds like starry eyed skies and raspberries and everything sweet she can possibly think of.

“Who’s the girl with the pink scarf?” she asks, not taking her awestruck gaze off her wide beam for even a second.

Noora averts her gaze from the group to observe Eva, and the infatuation must be written all across her face because the blonde raises her eyebrows skeptically.

“That’s Vilde Lien,” she says. “And I would not if I were you.”

Eva stops listening after Vilde Lien, though. Vilde. What a pretty name. How softly it rolls off your tongue.

“Do you know if she—you know. Is into—?”

“Girls?” Noora purses her mouth and shrugs. “Rumor has it right now that she has this huge thing for William Magnusson, but—you know. I also heard her talking about how wanting to kiss girls doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gay, and as a qualified lesbian, that’s a very gay thing to say.”

Eva’s enthusiasm is slightly dampened by the mention of that boy—she knows about William already, the most popular, suave and self-absorbed guy at Nissen who everyone seems to adore. But the second part of Noora’s answer is a lot more favorable, and so that’s what she chooses to focus on.

“Is there a way to find out?”

The girls exchange meaning looks and then turn to Eva again. Empathy is written all over their features, but Eva, quite frankly, does not care. All she knows is that she needs to know Vilde and that she’ll do whatever she needs to do to accomplish it.

“Well. I think she’s looking for a French tutor,” Sana says with a raised eyebrow and Eva’s small smile widens into a grin.

“Perfect,” she sighs happily, picking up her bag from the ground and hauling it over her shoulder as she stands up. “Thank you so much.”

The three girls still sitting are looking endlessly puzzled by now, narrowed gazes shifting between each other and Eva, each other and Eva.

“You know French?” Noora asks.

“No,” Eva allows enthusiastically. “But I’m about to.”

They stare at her for a few more seconds, before their mouths draw into similar smirks. It’s kind of eerie, how in tune they are with each other.

“You’re cool, Eva.” Chris says. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

“Okay!” Eva barely has the time to answer properly before she’s off, throwing them a grin over her shoulder. “And thanks again!”

 

~

 

Vilde and Eva’s first tutor session takes place in the school library at 15.10.

It was supposed to be 15.00, but Vilde rushes in late, her presence like a breath of fresh air and her hair in humble twirls, and Eva forgives her instantly.

“Right,” she says as she plops down in the chair opposite Eva. “Let’s make this quick, William offered me a ride home if I got done in 40 minutes.”

Her elbow unintentionally knocks together with Eva’s, and Eva’s eyes flutter.

“Of course. Um, how do you feel about starting with passé composé versus imparfait?”

Eva has by no means learned French even to a decent level in the week that’s passed since she saw Vilde the first time. She did manage to take a trip to the language section of the local library and borrow some books, and she did also manage to get some information out of the french teacher on what topics they’re currently covering in year two french (that one Eva might regret later on as the teacher now is of the belief that Eva loves french and is very excited about studying it in her free time—she’s beamed at Eva every time they’ve locked eyes in the school corridor since. Eva usually smiles back quickly and pretends to have somewhere very urgent to be to avoid a conversation that might expose her true intentions). To her great relief, Vilde was compliant when she suggested the only area she actually knows enough to somewhat teach, and she hopes that her sentences sound coherent as she tries to recite on what occasions you’d use the imparfait conjugation.

Her slight worry seems to be in vain, though, because the more times she looks up from the book between pauses, the more she begins to realize Vilde isn’t really listening at all. Her attention is constantly on her phone, smiling giddily as she’s typing away, and the only response Eva’s getting is an indignant hum here and there.

“So, to conclude, imparfait is used when you…?” She raises her eyebrows expectantly, waiting for Vilde to finish for her.

“Mhm.” Vilde nods absent-mindedly. The corners of her mouth perk upwards at whatever’s currently showing on her phone screen.

Eva realizes that yeah, okay, they’re probably not going to get any work done today. She puts down her pencil and closes her notebook before turning her gaze back to the blonde, resting her chin in her palm.

“So… What’s the deal with William anyway?” she tries carefully, putting on a small smile to cover up the twinge of bitterness that’s threatening to spill through at the idea of them together. “Are you dating?”

Unsurprisingly, that has Vilde finally looking up. She even puts down her phone on the table and sighs wistfully.

“I wish,” she gushes. “I’m sure we would be, you know, if I just… Was allowed to date.”

Eva’s world halters just a bit.

“You—can’t date?” she frowns. “Why?”

Vilde scoffs.

“Because my dad is overprotective and doesn’t trust me, I guess. So I can’t date until my step brother does.”

“Oh,” Eva bites the inside of her cheek and hopes to god that Vilde’s step brother is someone wildly adored who’s got dateable people fawning at his feet. “And who’s your step brother?”

“Only the biggest loner at this school,” Vilde rolls her eyes in frustration. “No one wants to date him and he definitely doesn’t want to date anyone. And it doesn’t really help that there aren’t a lot of other openly gay guys around here, either. So dad’s set-up is bulletproof, I guess.”

_Yeah, okay. There went that plan._

“I’m sure he’s not that bad,” Eva tries, more to soothe herself than Vilde, but Vilde just snorts.

“Do you know Isak? Valtersen?”

The blank stare of Eva’s she’s receiving in return answers her question pretty clearly. Vilde purses her mouth and nods.

“Exactly. It’s a lost cause.”

So admittedly, Eva’s plan to sweep Vilde off her feet is kind of faltering in more places than one. But then again, her mom didn’t raise a fucking quitter, and surely, there must be some kind of way to solve this. Call her foolish, but Eva is determined to still have hope.

“I’m sure there’s someone. I mean, some guys go bungee jumping or cliff diving—I’m sure someone at this school would like, get a kick out of dating someone difficult. I could find someone, even.”

It’s silent for a slight moment too long, Vilde just watching Eva with her wide gaze, and Eva thinks maybe that one might be coming on a bit too strong, or—or desperate or whatever. She silently cusses herself out and opens her mouth to backtrack on the offer, but Vilde speaks before her.

“You’d do that… For me?”

And then her face slowly breaks out into a crooked smile, eyes twinkling like moons and Eva sees everything through a rose-pink lens.

“Of _course_!” she assures her. “I’ll fix it.”

She’ll fix it. If something makes Vilde look at her like that, she’ll fix it.  
How hard can it be?

 

~

 

“So Vilde can’t date… Until Isak does?” Noora clarifies with wide eyes.

It’s lunchtime and they’re all gathered around a table, the other girls eager to hear whether Eva has made any progress with the Vilde issue. (It kind of warms Eva’s heart, how interested they are in her life, and how supportive they are of her choices, and how willing they are to take her into their gang so quickly. How genuinely they seem to enjoy her company. She’s never truly had that before.)

Eva just nods in confirmation, and Sana lets out a laugh next to her.

“Oh, baby, you’re _screwed_ ,” she says with an apologetic twinkle in her eye. “I sit next to Isak in bio and he’s probably the unfriendliest person I’ve had the displeasure to meet in my life. He’s going to adopt a really mean cat at the age of thirty and that’ll be the only relationship he’s ever going to be in.”

“Dude,” Chris wrinkles her nose, “are you suggesting Isak has some kind of cat fetish?”  
“I don’t think that’s very likely,” Noora interjects pensively. “Cats aren’t really his forte, if you catch my drift.”

Eva blinks a couple of times.

“Right,” she says slowly. “Listen, I’ve been thinking. There’s a party at Chris Schistad’s house this weekend, right? And I think Vilde would really want to go, and well. I would, too. What if we could find some guy to take Isak out to that party?”

It’s silent at the table for a couple of seconds, Eva being met only by blank stares.

“Did you, like. Miss what Sana just said?” Noora asks with a raised eyebrow. “People doesn’t want to date Isak. And Isak doesn’t want to date people. He’s rude, snappy, uptight and quite frankly a bit scary, and on top of that, there aren’t that many guys who are out at this place.”

“Well. Walk me through the ones that are,” Eva demands, and Noora must see the stubbornness in her eyes because with a sigh, she complies.

“Right. Chris Schistad.” She turns to gesture towards the incredibly attractive boy at William’s table. “Would fuck anything with a pulse. But he and Isak hate each other with a passion for some reason. Would never work. Next up, Julian Dahl.” She gestures to another table, to a pale, blond guy currently devouring a grilled cheese sandwich. “Very gay. Vague personality. Not even close to having thick enough skin to take on Isak. Let’s see, who do we have more—“

“There’s Even,” Sana pipes up quietly.

Noora and Chris’ eyes both widen comically and they give Sana an alarmed look.

“He’s so not an option.” Noora shakes her head. “No way.”

“Why not? He’d probably be perfect for Isak.”

“Who’s Even?” Eva asks, leaning in over the table curiously.

Noora sighs and nods towards something behind Eva.

“See the corner table? The douchebag currently trying to light a cigarette in the damn school cafeteria? Yeah. That’s Even.”

Eva tries to subtly look over her own shoulder to spot the intriguing boy her friends are talking about.

He is extremely pretty, is the first thing she notices. He’s got the whole cherub James Dean thing going on with his jean jacket and quiffed hair and plump lips and blue eyes. Just like Noora said he is indeed currently lighting a cigarette, but the guy next to him snatches is from his mouth and puts it out the moment it’s lit with a scolding expression. Even doesn’t even have the decency to look bashful about it, but rather just rolls his eyes in annoyance.

“He used to go to Elvebakken,” Noora says. “But last year something really serious went down there and after that he was pulled out of school and no one saw him for like, months. He just completely vanished off of the face of the earth. And now he’s retaking his third year here.”

“I heard he’s been in jail,” Chris contributes.

Noora frowns.

“We shouldn’t speculate about that stuff. But... It wouldn't surprise me, either.”

“I don’t know, that’s just what I’ve heard.”

“They’re all just rumors anyway,” Sana says, rolling her eyes. “We don’t know if any of that stuff is true.”

“I mean,” Chris ponders. “He does seem like a pretty scary guy.”

Eva’s smile’s been growing by the minute they all have been talking.

“He’s _perfect_ ,” she states. “Does anyone know how to get him on board with this?”

Noora and Chris exchange an exasperated look, but Sana looks sincerely contemplative.

“You could always pay him. Everyone loves a bit of extra cash. Though I doubt you’re _that_ rich.”

Eva groans and buries her face in her hands. She really isn’t. She barely has enough money for McDonald’s chicken nuggets when she’s craving something fried on Friday evenings, let alone enough to pay some guy to do her a favor.

She just wants to take a cute girl out. Is that really too much to ask for?

“Well,” Noora suddenly starts, and Eva’s head snaps up to looks at her. Something has changed in the blonde’s face, her features softened and more compliant now, and Eva understands this is her agreeing to help. Eva’s going to thank her a thousand times later, promising it won’t be in vain. “You could always find a donor.”

“A donor?”

“Someone with money,” Noora clarifies. “Who’s also interested in Vilde and stupid enough to pay Even.”

She nods her head to William’s table, and it clicks for Eva.

“ _Oh_.” Her eyebrows shoot up in realization, and Noora’s smirk grows.

“Here’s what you’ll do. You’re going to go over and sit down at their table, and you’re going to tell William what Vilde told you about her not being able to date until Isak does, and then you’re going to drop the idea of him paying Even to take Isak out. He’ll think that it’s going to benefit him and agree, when actually, you’re about to steal his girl right under his nose. Sounds about good?”

A rush of adrenaline is flowing through Eva’s veins now.

“Yeah,” she nods, “yeah, sounds good. I’ll be right back.”

She’s out of her chair before she’s even finished the sentence. Call Eva what you want, but she’s full of fearlessness and determination, and this is going to work out in her favor.

(She also might really want this done before she has the chance to think it through and start hesitating. But fearless and determined, regardless.)

She wanders up to the table with swift steps, and she sits down in the space between William and another guy she doesn’t know the name of, flashing him a bright smile when she looks at her with a lifted eyebrow.

“Hi,” she greets them. “William, right?”

“Right,” William answers, a playful smirk nipping at the corner of his mouth. “I’m sad to say I don’t know your name?”

“Oh, I’m Eva.” Eva pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. “I, well. I have proposition. About Vilde,” she’s quick to add when she realizes that first statement might come off as very suggestive on its own.

“You interested in a threesome, babe?” Chris says next to William, a sheepishly crooked smile on his face, and Eva fights the compelling urge to roll her eyes or like, gag.

“No,” she replies with a steady glare at him before turning back to William. “Just hear me out. You want Vilde, right? Well. I happen to tutor her in French and she told me she can’t date until her step brother Isak does.”

Chris’ cocky smirk immediately turn into a scowl at the mention of Isak, but William narrows his eyes in interest.

“Go on.”

“See,” Eva clears her throat. “What you need is to hire a guy who’s got the guts to date Isak so you can take out Vilde, yeah?”

She pauses dramatically to point to Even in the corner.

William follows her finger and his jaw goes slack for a few seconds before he looks back at her in disbelief.

“Even Bech Næsheim? I heard he sold his kidney on the black market for a new car stereo.”  
“Seems like a pretty safe bet, then, no?” Eva asks. “Fearless. He’d definitely do it, given enough money.”

William thinks this over for a little while, watching Eva with a tilted head.

“What’s in it for you?” he asks.

Eva panics for a millisecond. She wasn’t prepared for that question, but of course it’d make sense that she wants something in return for this information.

She’s determined to not let her insecurity show, though, as she just shrugs graciously.

“I’m new at the school, and I could use some extra credibility. When we meet in the hallway, we say hi. When there are any cool parties happening, you let me know. Deal?”

William purses his mouth and nods consentingly.

“That’s fair,” he says. “Yeah, okay. Deal.”

“Great,” Eva grins, standing up.

“Party at my place on Friday,” Chris enlightens her as she turns to leave.

“See you there!”

Eva is hyped, filled to the brink with excitement and power when she sits down with the girls again, giving them all a smug grin. She knows that this plan could backfire and that Vilde might not even look her way with William around wanting her attention—but she can’t even be worried about that in this exact moment. What’s important is that she has a shot, however small it might be.

“Game’s on,” she announces. Chris high fives her.

 


	2. chapter ii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a tiny dictionary for this chapter:
> 
> spenn - a slang term for money. like "bucks" for american dollars or "quid" for pounds.   
> kunst og håndverk - "art and handiwork". a norwegian school subject that includes art and needlework. (it's not mandatory in vgs and to be real idek if they have it at nissen at all, but for a tiny detail of this story's sake, we're gonna say they do.)

Isak has a free period, and he’s studying. Hard.

It’s not some light have-my-book-out-so-I-can-pass-it-off-as-studying-when-I’m-actually-not kind of studying. No. Isak takes his biology seriously. He’s completely engrossed in his book, he’s tapping his pencil against the table, he’s biting his lip in concentration. He’s even got his headphones in. A test is coming up, and he has no time to waste on procrastinating.

Overall, he looks pretty occupied. Focused. Shut off from the outside world. In his zone. To assume that Isak would in any way want company with all these signs loudly announcing the opposite would be, well. Flat out stupid.

Which is why Isak is indeed perplexed when a boy suavely sinks down in the chair opposite him.

He lifts his gaze from the book and raises an eyebrow when he sees that the boy is already watching him expectantly, urgingly. Smugly. The best tactic would probably be to just look back down in his book and ignore this intruding stranger completely, but as it is, Isak is a bit on edge today. They’d run out of coffee the night before so Isak’s morning clearly went straight to hell just there, and then he had to pass Chris and the guys in the hallway when he arrived to school, had to endure their menacing tittering and snide remarks, and to make matters even worse he had to pass them on the way to Norwegian class—the most boring subject he knows—and he’s _really_ not feeling it today.

So he takes an earbud out and eyes the guy up and down, unimpressed.

(He’s not actually unimpressed. The stranger is really fucking hot, to be blunt, and he’s got a warm sort of mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes that has Isak unwillingly intrigued. But Isak isn’t going to acknowledge this out loud. Because Isak is not a goddamn softie.)

“Can I help you?” he settles for, his mouth pursed defiantly.

Pretty boy wiggles his eyebrows once and his plump lips stretches into a smile.

“You could, actually,” he says. “As it so happens, I have two tickets to the movies this Friday. And I’m only one person, so… You accompanying me would help me out a lot.”

Isak blinks.

It seems there are two options here. Either Isak is being genuinely asked out, or it’s a joke.

The thing is, there’s no way this guy is serious. There is no way in hell. Under no circumstances would it make sense for a tall, model-esque boy to sashay up to Isak of all people, sit down, and ask him out to the movies. The _movies_ , without ever having spoken to Isak before in his life. Especially not with the kind of poise and certainty this boy is radiating, like he’s so sure Isak is going to say yes, _yes, beautiful stranger, I would love for nothing else than going to watch a mediocre film in a dark, uncomfortably crowded theater with you_.

It’s just not realistic. These things simply do not happen to Isak. Which only leaves one option left.

This guy is fucking with him. He’s playing a prank. For some reason, he thought it would be funny to sit down and ask Isak out only to ridicule him. Isak doesn’t know why he would, or who put him up to it (or actually he might have an idea or two there) but it’s disgusting and no matter how much he doesn’t want to feel it, there’s still a twinge of shame etching into his chest at the gesture. People are _shit_.

Suddenly, Isak’s veins are burning.

“Right,” he says slowly. “Who are you again?”

It’s meant to be discouraging, distancing, it’s meant to make Stranger’s smirk drop and his shoulders slump, but not a single muscle in his face twitches.

“Even Bech Næsheim.”

“Even.” Isak tests the name in his mouth, every phoneme dripping with the bitter taste the boy’s confidence is giving him. “Are you usually this much of an asshole?”

Even’s infuriating grin wavers just the tiniest then, his eyes narrowing slightly in bewilderment, and he turns his head a little. He’s evidently taken aback by the approach.

“Um.” He drags it out into a long syllable, laughing in a way that Isak would like to think is at least a little bit nervous. “I’m not sure what kind of answer you want.”

Isak leans forward to rest his chin in the palm of his hands, flashing Even the most insincere smile he can muster.

“I mean,” he speaks gently, “asking the gay kid out just to fuck around, not least doing it like your mere presence is doing me a favor while suggesting pretty much the only dating activity which requires literally no actual interaction or effort whatsoever on your part, and then expecting me to fawn at your feet like I have no integrity at all, is a pretty shitty move. So my question was, is this assholery a common thing for you or is it specifically reserved for this occasion?”

Isak revels in the way Even’s confident smirk finally drops comically.

“Um, I wasn’t—it wasn’t a joke.”

If Isak hasn’t already decided to hate this guy with the fire of a thousand suns, maybe he’d take pity on him. He looks so much like a baby deer caught in the headlights with those big, blue eyes of his swimming in something Isak can only describe as shock.

“Right.” Isak nods, pursing his mouth tightly. “Even if you weren’t lying right now, I still wouldn’t go on a date with you to save a life, so. Sucks to be you, doesn’t it?”

He flashes Even one last grin for good measures, before pointedly gathering his stuff and raising from his seat to search for a different place to study in peace. Even doesn’t call after him and Isak is happy he doesn’t.

What a fucking dick.

 

~

 

Honestly? Even has no idea how he allowed himself to get in this position.

Whatever game he’s agreed to here is so below him in so many ways he doesn’t even know where to start, and he curses himself out for at least the hundredth time since it all started for letting some what’s-his-name with anime hair persuade him with money to repeatedly humiliate himself for a guy who’s clearly not interested.

Even is quite a strategic guy when he wants to, so to make sense of it all, he decides to break it down into separate events.

First event: the guy sitting down next to him on a bench during a break like he’s got an invitation to be there, and introducing himself—a tad nervously and Even figures this guy, too, must be aware of the rumors surrounding him—as William.

“See the guy over there?” he says, pointing across the quad to a boy in a red snapback and worn-out sneakers. Even just raises an eyebrow at him as an answer, and William gulps visibly before continuing.

“That’s Isak Valtersen. I want you to take him out.”

Even laughs in his face then—because who the hell does this dude think he is?

“You’re funny,” he states. “Move along.”

“Look,” William tries again, a stressed wrinkle forming between his eyebrows. He doesn’t move an inch and Even gets the feeling right there and then that the guy probably really isn’t good at taking rejection. “I want to take his step sister out, but I can’t until he starts dating, too—”

“And what exactly has you thinking I would consider this my personal problem?” Even interrupts calmly.

“Well.” William dares to attempt an optimistic smile. “Hopefully the part where I’ll provide generous compensation for your service?”

This cannot be for real. Even eyes the guy up and down for several seconds, before huffing incredulously.

“You’re willing to pay me to take out some guy?” he clarifies.

And it turns out William really, seriously is. Without a single word, he pulls out no less than 500 Norwegian kroner in cash, dangling it in front of Even’s face suggestively. And despite the whole situation being undoubtedly and utterly bizarre, Even looks over at Isak once again, and he bites his lip in serious contemplation. 500 spenn is undoubtedly not something you just decline, and the longer he really looks at the boy, the more endearing does his nippy curls, the curve of his nose, the gaps of his teeth when he smiles, appear to Even.

It can’t be that bad, can it? Isak Valtersen is a very pretty boy, and it’s only a matter of a date or two. Even might even enjoy it. So in the end, he takes the money and the game is on.

(Which ended up being a big fucking mistake as Isak apparently is about as easy-going and friendly as a provoked shark. Even won’t even count that happenstance into his list of events as it’s something he’d rather just forget ever happened for the sake of his pride.)

Second event: William finding him again a week or so later, asking why nothing has happened yet. It’s in Even’s most sincere intention to get out of the deal right there and then—he shouldn’t have gotten involved in the first place—but instead he hears himself say;

“I’ve upped my price.”

The infuriated look on William’s face is almost enough of a reward in itself as the guy just huffs out a disbelieving:

“ _What_?”

“800 kroner,” Even states calmly. “Per date. And I want it in advance.”

William, quite understandably, fervently refuses at first, and Even just shrugs nonchalantly.

“Forget your girl, then.”

He gets his 800 kroner.

He’s also under even more pressure to succeed with this whole ordeal, and he has no idea how to wow Isak into even standing his presence. Great job, Even.

Third event: Sana and a friend of hers he doesn’t recognize coming up to him during his free period. (Sana introduces herself and her friend as if they’ve never met before, and Even’s thankful for her. He knows that if people found out that he knows Sana, they’re one step closer to also finding out what really happened at Bakka, and not to be overly dramatic, but Even would probably rather die.)

“Listen. We set this whole thing up so _Eva_ can get closer to Vilde. William is just our tool, if you will.”

Even raises an admittedly kind of impressed eyebrow and eyes the two girls contemplatively.

“So… You’re going to help me tame the wild beast?” he gives them a crooked grin.

Sana’s friend—Eva, Even notes—nods.

“Yeah. Vilde’s going to help me to do some research, find out what he likes, what he doesn’t like—whatever that can possibly make this a bit easier for you.”

Even laughs self-depreciatingly.

“I’ve talked to him once and he already hates my guts. I’m not sure how much easier you can make this for me. But thanks.”

“Here’s a start.” Sana leans in a bit closer. “Chris Schistad is having a party this Friday. It’s a perfect opportunity to take him out.”

He’s not sure what exactly is so overwhelmingly special about this stepsister of Isak’s, what makes her so desirable; but Eva looks more genuine when she gives him a nervous smile than William ever could, and he also thinks that if Sana’s friend is the one he’s actually helping with all of this, maybe he’s slightly more okay with it. Sana usually has good judgment.

And that’s a wrap on what it’s taken to keep him in this game.

So, on a second thought, he kind of knows exactly just how he got here, walking through the school hall, his sight set on the locker Isak is currently struggling to fit his school supplies into. He knows that technically, all the steps that lead him to this moment, are his own fault. He can back out anytime, refuse the money and just unmake it his business again.

He just _won’t_. Because Even is stupid and irrational and no matter how highly he likes to think of his moral compass from time to time, it’s evidently not that strong.

(A small, unspeakable part of him also kind of really wants to annoy Isak even further as revenge for wounding Even’s ego that much. The tiniest piece of him.)

Just like last time, he slides in as if he belongs right next to Isak, leaning casually on another locker as he nods in greeting to the now slightly confounded boy.

Or, well. Confounded isn’t really the correct term. Even would probably rather go for ‘blatantly disgusted’, or ‘disbelievingly revolted’. But the point remains.

“Are you lost?” the boy nearly spits, and Even just lets his lips curl into a crooked grin.

“Nope,” he replies, popping the ‘p’ playfully. “I’m right where I want to be.”

“You better find somewhere else that’s out of my sight, then.”

Even grimaces. No, this is definitely not going to be easy.

“Listen,” he tries, putting on his most earnest face. “I don’t know why you think I’m fucking with you, but I’m _not_. I really do want to get to know you.”

Isak rolls his eyes and closes his locker forcefully, unimpressed.

“Have you ever been told ‘no’ before in your life?” he asks, and his voice is so sharp it could cut someone open. Even nearly winces.

“I just don’t think you’re fair with your assumptions. Especially since you’re wrong.”

“So that’s a no, you haven’t.”

“Isak.”

“Look, I’m really sorry I’m ruining whatever bet you have going, but it’s not happening. You can’t honestly expect me to believe that you’re out of nowhere suddenly this interested in dating me for no reason.”

“Who said it’s out of nowhere? Maybe I’ve been liking you for a while. You wouldn’t know.”

“Fat chance.”

“Why are you so defensive? I just think you’re really interesting and I’d love to get to know you better.”

“Yeah?” Isak snorts and he leans in ever so slightly, staring into Even’s eyes daringly. This up close, Even can practically count the small specks of golden in his green irises. “How about you say that again when other people can hear you, hm? How about you say that again in a week?”

There’s a resenting sort of bitterness to his voice, as if he just _knows_ Even is for some reason ashamed to make this whole ordeal known, like he’s up to something sketchy, like this is just temporary—which, well. Even supposes it is, and his stomach turns ever so slightly with guilt. He pushes it away immediately, though. He can’t do this if guilt is going to interfere.

But what’s provoking Even the most, is the way Isak seems to take it so infuriatingly for granted that Even has bad intentions. Like there’s no chance in the whole wide world that Even would ever _actually_ want to make this a big deal—make _Isak_ a big deal.

Jokes on him. Even never passes up on an opportunity to make something a big deal.

“Right.”

He nods to himself, and straightens his back. Isak made this bed, and so he’ll lie in it.

There is something Even swears is relief on Isak’s face as he turns away, probably a result of the curly boy thinking he’s finally getting rid of Even.

And he is, Even supposes—for now. Now, Even’s going to take a trip to the kunst-og-håndverks-section. But he’ll be back—and he’ll be back with an executed plan.

 

~

 

“So, what exactly are we doing in here?”

Eva stands in the doorway of Isak’s room, watching the piles of clothes on the floor and strewn around school work and physics books and the unmade bed.

But mostly watching Vilde, who’s currently crouching down by one of Isak’s drawers, opening it and immediately starting to root around in it.

“We need to go behind enemy lines here,” she says, dumping a bunch of video games, movies and a couple of more books onto the floor. “Isak isn’t very eager to share details about himself, so the best way for us to really find out about what he likes is to snoop around and see for ourselves.”

She sits down with her legs folded, starting to go through the several items she’s found, mumbling about how there should be a punishment for people who didn’t have a special system of what to keep in your separate drawers. Eva carefully sits down on the bed next to her. Vilde’s hair is looking especially shiny and soft today, adorned with a purple headband that pushes stubborn strands away from her face.

But Eva needs to not think about that right now. They’re here on a mission.

“So,” Vilde starts again, and Eva takes her phone out to write down whatever information might come in handy. “He plays a lot of Fifa, NHL, GTA, Assassin’s Creed… Mario Kart.” She snorts. “He doesn’t have a single book that’s not nerdy. ‘Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the Tenth Dimension’. ‘Stargazing Basics’—he doesn’t even own a telescope. ‘Cosmos’. ‘The Age of Entanglement: When Quantum Physics was born’—is any of this making sense to you?”

Eva shakes her head with emphasis. If this Isak intimidated her before, he’s now practically terrifying. No one could ever read all these mind-wrenching books in their free time without being something exceedingly posthuman.

Vilde grins at her reaction.

“I never got it, either. He’s been into all that science-y stuff for as long as I’ve known him. He’s like, super smart. I guess it’s to make up for all that social ineptness he has.”

Eva types away quickly on her phone, saving it as a rough draft to send Even later.

“What kind of guys is he into?” she asks pensively. “Does he have any past boyfriends at all? Crushes? Celebrity crushes?”

“No boyfriends,” Vilde sighs. “But he did always have a thing for young Leonardo DiCaprio.”

Eva hums. “Everyone had a thing for young Leonardo DiCaprio.”

“You too?” Vilde wrinkles her nose sceptically. “I didn’t.”

“You don’t think he’s hot?”

“I—I think he’s hot, I just—don’t see the hype.”

Vilde turns her face away, slightly flustered now. Eva bites the inside of her cheek.

“I mean, I had a thing for Kate Winslet, too, so. A real bi awakening, that movie was.” She shrugs to carry the conversation forth, looking down on her phone absent-mindedly. 

“You’re bisexual?”

The slight change in Vilde’s tone makes Eva look up again to meet the girl’s bright blue stare. There’s something unreadable in them, something that Eva dares name intrigued. It’s a bit too subtle to be something she’ll let herself be hopeful about, but just telling enough to make something bright glow tentatively in her chest anyway.

“Yeah.”

“That’s cool.”

Vilde suddenly becomes very interested in reloading Isak’s drawers in a hasty tempo. Eva doesn’t comment on it.

“Hey, are you hungry?” she asks, pushing it shut a bit too forcefully. “I could fix us something.”

“Um. It’s fine, you don’t have to.”

Eva’s eyebrows fly up as she speaks, and she eyes Vilde cautiously. The blue-eyed girl stands up and flashes Eva a bright smile that’s a tad too big.

“No, it’s fine! I could go for a cup of tea, we’ve deserve to treat ourselves. Come on.”

And then she’s out of the room in a whim, and Eva figures her only option here is to simply follow.

That’s how Eva ends up at the kitchen table with a cup of steaming tea as Vilde rushes to pick up milk, sugar, and a tupperware container of brownies before she sits down, too. She puts it all in front of Eva, stating proudly that she baked the brownies herself the other night and it’s so endearing Eva can’t help but smile dumbly as the girl chats on about the exact right amounts of cocoa and melted chocolate to include in a successful recipe. Vilde proves to be right in her pride, too, as Eva lets out a soft groan when she takes her first bite.

“These are _so_ good. Do you bake a lot?”

“Yeah.” Vilde practically preens at the compliment, putting her elbows up on the table and leaning in in excitement. “I bake a lot when I’m stressed, and stuff. It gives you something else to focus on, you know? It just keeps me occupied. And I end up always having something to snack on at home. Or serve guests I like.”

Eva’s face heats up irrationally, and Vilde’s smile warms her up more than her tea ever could.

“Do you bake, too?” she asks then. Eva forces herself to snap out of her state enough to answer.

“Oh, no, I wish.” She laughs. “I’m terrible with baking—basic meals are alright, but I always seem to mess something up every time I try to bake. It’s tragic.”

Vilde pouts and tilts her head in compassion.

“Well, isn’t it lucky I’m your friend now, then?” she asks. “I can bake you things all the time so you don’t have to.”

It shouldn’t make her as ridiculously happy as it does, but hearing that Vilde thinks of her as a friend has Eva’s veins tingling with joy.

“We’re friends?”

“Of course we’re friends!”

Vilde’s reaches over to nudge Eva’s elbow with her hand, and it might possibly be the best moment of Eva’s life. She grins back.

“Cool.”

“Yeah. Cool.”

 

~

 

There’s a banner. Even might be responsible for it.

It’s hanging over the main entrance of Hartvig Nissen, purposely put there so no one will miss it—not that it’s very hard to ignore anyway. It’s quite huge, really. Maybe even a bit excessive, but that’s okay. Excessive is Even’s middle name, and he owns it with pride.

He sits at a bench a couple of meters away, observing the huge, black capital letters written across the white fabric. He did a good job, he thinks, reading it over again and again.

 

_Isak Valtersen is an interesting person and I’d love to get to know him better._

_With love, Even_ _Bech_ _Næsheim._

Well. He is an aspiring director, after all—if Even isn’t living for the dramatics, who is he, really?

Several people have already entered the building and seen his work, but the particular boy Even’s anticipating has yet to arrive. It’s not that he minds waiting, really, but Isak’s just unpredictable and there’s nothing that’s not opposing the possibility that all this will just make him even angrier. It shouldn’t—Even is doing exactly what he was asked to do. He’s telling it to other people. A banner like this is pretty much equivalent to shouting it from the rooftops for the whole world to see. But Even still doesn’t know, it could all still backfire, and with every minute that passes he becomes more and more unsure.

Isak finally does arrive, though, about five minutes before the bell rings, and Even watches with glee how his hurried stride completely stops right in front of the door. His head is tipped upwards, and his arms go slack along his sides as he just stands there, seemingly unaware of all the people passing him with curious looks. Even can’t see his face, but he dares to hope he’s not this petrified with anger.

Even deems this the right opportunity to approach, and he jumps off the bench and practically skips over, stopping right next to Isak, who doesn’t take his eyes off the banner at all.

“Do you like it?” he asks. “I mean I know it’s, uh. A lot, but then I figured I don’t think I can make you dislike me more than you already do so what did I have to lose, right?”

The boy’s cheeks are a blossoming shade of pink and his jaw is slack and his eyes are wider than Even’s ever seen on anyone. As soon as he turns and catches Even’s gaze, though, he closes his mouth shut in a purse of his lips, obviously trying to cover up his flustered state.

Score.

“I, uh.” He swallows visibly. “It’s—it sure is something.”

Even gives him something he’d hope is a tentative but alluring smile.

“Seeing as every single person entering this building knows just how serious I am about this now… Chris Schistad’s having a party on Friday. Come with me?”

Isak opens his mouth hesitantly, but immediately closes it again to bite his cheek, conflicted.

“He doesn’t want me there.”

He’s trying his best to make his eyes cold, but his statement is not a ‘no’. Even’s mind is doing a small victory dance.

“Honestly?” he scoffs. He wets his lower lip and raises an eyebrow as he hold Isak’s gaze intently. “Who gives a fuck about what _he_ wants?”

That’s what finally breaks the spell, Isak’s mouth finally mirroring Even’s as the corners of his mouth slowly perk up and his hostile demeanor melts and his eyes get a new sort of twinkle in them that he just can’t seem to stop.

He looks quite pretty like that, Even notes. A bit softer. A bit more attainable.

“Nine-thirty, then,” he states, not even trying to hide his beam as he starts backing away from Isak.

Isak rolls his eyes and huffs a “whatever”, but the crinkles by his eyes won’t quite let the contentment leave his face. Even can feel eyes lingering on his back, and he can’t help but feel triumph blossom in his chest.

Baby steps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK AFTER A 3 MONTH SLUMBER AND I'M SO SORRY I SWEAR I'LL TRY HARDER TO UPDATE QUICKLY
> 
> this is a mess but i hope you enjoyed it anyways and i love u so much thank u for reading <333
> 
> as always, comments and kudos mend my broken soul and if u wanna talk i'm ready to give u attention and love on tumblr @tequiladimples xx

**Author's Note:**

> wooooo!!!! i've had this idea for so long and i'm finally givin it a shot at comin to life..... magical
> 
> thank u gael for reading this over n convicing me it doesn't completely suck ilu and thank u so much @YOU for reading. ur beautiful and i adore u. also this is the first chapter and therefore a lil bit of a mess but bare with me :') 
> 
> this story is going to be abt 4 or 5 chapters long, i'll try to update as regularly as i can, comments and kudos make my heart glow, and if u wanna make a visit to my tumblr (please do i love talking to u) it's @tequiladimples. <333


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